EDMONTON - Here’s the thing about Chic-Hog-O’s: It has a bit of a silly name.

Luckily this new dining spot boasts food so simple yet creative, so unassuming yet delicious, its silly moniker is easily forgotten. Until you try to sound it out, that is.

The small restaurant opened late last year, tucked away just south of Jasper Avenue on 112th Street in the digs formerly occupied by Cafe Beirut.

Chic-Hog-O’s is a “social roast house” which, for me, conjured an image of smoked and tender roasted meats piled high, enough to share around a big table.

I decided to check it out a few weeks back, my curiosity over the name finally winning out. Two of us arrived on a Saturday night to a mostly empty, yet cosy (read: small and dimly lit) dining room and were promptly shown to a table by our friendly server.

A quick browse of the menu revealed my taste for brisket and its smoke house companions would be unfilled. Instead, Chic-Hog-O’s offers a motley cru of appetizers, salads, soups, roasted meat sandwiches (including a porchetta) and a few pasta dishes, along with a small assortment of sides.

Don’t expect to get social over a craft cocktail here, as Chic-Hog-O’s doesn’t include a full bar. It does, however, offer a varied selection of spirits and liqueurs, including a great whisky selection and 11 beers by the bottle, along with a few bottled vodka coolers. There’s also a small wine list, with a white and red house option available by the glass ($6).

We began our dinner by snacking on the chilled lentil rolls ($8). The vegan item seemed a little out of place, but the menu in fact offered a decent selection of meatless items. Reminiscent of a dal, the quenelle-shaped mounds arrived lined up on a long, white rectangular plate and were topped with chopped Italian parsley and green onions. Robust in flavour, the lentils were bursting with the aromas of turmeric and cumin, but were unfortunately a tad on the salty side and had us reaching for our waters with increasing frequency. Regardless, they were a delightful twist on a healthy ingredient and a dish I’ll surely crave. They arrived without any accompanying vessel (bread, crackers, etc.) but were sturdy enough to be eaten with a fork and rich enough that it didn’t matter.

My partner zoned in on the eponymous burger consisting of both pork and chicken, a mixture that was novel but made sense, considering the restaurant’s emphasis on both meats. The resulting patty is light in colour and flavourful without being heavy — a good thing, considering it’s slathered with Jack Daniel’s sauce, generous portions of crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese and all the standard fixings: greens, red onions and a juicy slice of tomato.

The behemoth burger was at least 25 per cent larger than the fluffy bun it was sandwiched between, a challenge in my partner’s eyes. (He was among the quarter of diners who actually managed to finish the burger, the impressed chef later told us). At just $11 it’s great value for money, even without any sides. A half-order of rosemary spuds ($3) were the perfect partner, the baby potatoes so tender they melted in our mouths. The spicy, smoky aioli they arrived with were an excellent cloak.

My chicken mushroom bake actually came with a host of ingredients, including red and green chopped bell peppers, diced onions and pieces of roasted chicken tossed with spaghetti. Warm and rich, the dish was baked under a thin layer of gooey cheese and arrived with a thick wedge of garlic toast. At $14, it’s incredible value, with enough for dinner and lunch the next day. My only gripe was the slightly dry chicken, of which there was plenty.

We concluded by sharing the rich and savoury maple bacon ice-cream sandwich ($6), a fat mound of maple-infused ice cream flecked with crispy bacon bits and squished between two Italian pizzelles. The saltiness of the bacon matched well with the sweet treat and was a delectable end to a flavourful meal.

Throughout the evening, Chic-Hog-O’s owner Christine was attentive and friendly, visiting our table to ensure everything was to our liking. We felt like honoured guests and got the sense everyone gets the same treatment. The eatery occupies a bit of a tough spot and has to compete with flashiness of the nearby Cactus Club, Joey’s and a host of options along Jasper Avenue. Luckily for Chic-Hog-O’s, if they can lure customers into their doors, they’ll have no trouble having them back again and again.

Chic-Hog-O’s is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday, dinner only on Saturday and is closed Sundays.

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